00:00Here's some good news we don't often get to report on. America's murder rate is continuing to
00:05fall. And according to new analysis, the country is on track for some of the lowest homicide levels
00:10in more than a century. The Council on Criminal Justice says murders dropped 20% nationwide last
00:16year, the largest year-over-year decline ever recorded. And they're down another 18% so far
00:22in 2026 across most major cities. New York City, right here where I am, is among the biggest success
00:27stories, with homicides falling more than 20%, while Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Atlanta,
00:32and Rochester, New York also saw significant declines. But the trend, it isn't universal.
00:38Eight of the 30 cities studied actually saw murders increase, including Norfolk, Virginia,
00:43San Francisco, Dallas, Salt Lake City, Chicago, and Charlotte. Researchers say there's no single
00:48explanation for the nationwide drop, but they believe improved policing, violence prevention
00:53programs, changes in lifestyle, and more people working from home. They could all be playing
00:57some kind of a role here. While some police departments disputed their city's numbers,
01:02the overall trend is clear. Across much of the country, it's getting less murdery.
Comments